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Finwë
Finwë was the first High King of the Ñoldor who led his people on the journey from Middle-earth to Valinor in the blessed realm of Aman. He was a great friend of Elu Thingol, the King of Doriath. He was the father of Fëanor, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Írimë, and Findis. As founder of the House of Finwë, he and his first and second wives were the sires of the three noble houses of Fëanor, Fingolfin, Finarfin who afterwards ruled great realms in Middle-earth, and succeeded him in Aman. His bloodline also mixed its way into the race of Men as well. Finwë was perhaps one of the firstborn Elves (created solely from Eru Ilúvatar himself) who awoke in Cuiviénen. Biography Finwë was born or perhaps awoke in Middle-earth in the far eastern land of Cuiviénen during the Years of the Trees. When the Vala Oromë found the Elves during his travels in Middle-earth, he loved them and urged them to travel with him to Valinor to see its wondrous beauty. The Elves however, were suspicious of this call and were afraid and so Oromë chose ambassadors to represent the three Elven-kindreds: the Vanyar, the Ñoldor, and the Teleri, to represent their kindreds and to return and report what they had saw. One of them was Finwë who along with Ingwë and Elwë went to the Blessed Realm with Oromë. When they returned, they were able to convince the Elves to go on the Great Journey into the far west. There was great friendship between Finwë of the Ñoldor and Elwë of the Teleri. Then each became leaders of their own Elven-kindred. Thus, Finwë became the Lord of the Ñoldor who led his people on the Great Journey. And eventually, Finwë and his people the Ñoldor arrived in Valinor directly behind the Vanyar. There he and his people settled and Finwë thus became the First High King of the Ñoldor. Finwë started a family first marrying Míriel Serindë who had also come with her people the Ñoldor to Aman. They had a son called Fëanor but her labors in giving birth to him drained her of most of her life, and she died shortly after bearing him. After a period of mourning he married again. His second wife was Indis of the Vanyar. Indis bore him four children: Fingolfin, Finarfin, Findis, and Irimë. When Melkor, now free from the Halls of Mandos began spreading lies amongst the Ñoldor attempting to corrupt them, Finwë attempted to moderate his people and lead them back to the Valar. But it was too late, the Ñoldor had already begun to envision for themselves plans and new dominions they could have ruled back in Middle-earth and were proud. However, Fëanor mistrusted the Valar and believed the lies and began to horde his treasures and would only allow his beloved father or his sons to see the Silmarils. He also begun to suspect his half-brother was trying to usurp him as the favored son, and made trouble in Tirion drawing his sword on Fingolfin. For this he was banished from the city, but Finwë loved his elder son greatly and shared his exile and went with him northward and built the city/fortress of Formenos. There Finwë lived with his son and his grandchildren and some of the rest of his house. Later, when Fëanor was summoned to Valmar to make peace with his brother, Finwë did not go out of bitterness over the exile of his son nor did he wish to meet the rest of his people because he no longer felt like their king. There he was the first to be killed in Valinor when Melkor slew him at the doors of Formenos seeking the Silmarils. This act was the catalyst that led to the Revolt of the Ñoldor.The Silmarillion: Quenta SilmarillionThe History of Middle-earth, Vol. I, The Book of Lost Tales 1, where he is sometimes given the name Golfinweg which is Gnomish (the equivalent later of Sindarin) Etymology Finwë's name is not fully translated. The glossary in the Silmarillion translates Fin as "hair"; other sources say it means "skill".The Complete Guide to Middle-earth Earlier versions of the legendarium In the first drafts of the genealogy, Finwë had four sons: the youngest was named Finrun, but he was dropped after that, thus Finrod (later Finarfin) was Finwë's youngest son from then on. In a later version Finwë had three daughters added by Indis, Findis (as their first child) Faniel (as their third), and Finvain (as their youngest). In yet later versions, Faniel was apparently dropped, while Findis and Finvain were kept. Finvain (renamed Irimë) was moved to after Fingolfin, thus Finarfin was once again the youngest child of Finwë. Translations References ca:Finwë de:Finwe es:Finwë fr:Finwë it:Finwë pl:Finwë ru:Финвэ Category:High Elves Category:Noldor Category:High Kings of the Noldor Category:The Silmarillion Characters Category:Characters in The History of Middle-earth